Connects Us
by GleefoRivera
Summary: Quinn has just graduated from Yale and doesn't know what to do with her life. She goes to NYC on a whim and tries to see what she can find. But she had no idea what she would find in Rachel... SLIGHTY AU
1. Chapter 1

This is the time of my life. I've just graduated from Yale about a week ago with a degree in photography. I had an awesome time in college. I'm ready to start my life.

The only problem is that I have no idea _how._

New Haven is, in a way, just like Lima. It's small and quiet and boring and there are absolutely _no_ job openings for someone looking for a career in photography. _I've got to get out of here..._

Next thing I know I'm standing in front of the train station heading to New York. This is good right? New York is full of _endless_ possibilities for someone like me. I'm ready to start my life. _Or am I?_ I climb aboard the train with shaky hands and as fast as possible so I don't chicken out and turn around. _I could live in New Haven, right? Get a nice apartment, maybe a cat... and I saw that Great Clips was hiring. _

_Stop Quinn! You're _going_ to New York and you're _going_ to kick ass at a job you actually _want.

The strong and forceful side of my mind wins my internal debate and I plop down in my seat with a stuttery breath.

"First time on a train?"

I look next to me and see a man that's just about the definition of a homeless person. I try and smile and look polite but his odor was incredibly distracting. "No, just nervous I guess," I say with a grimace.

"Nervous for what?"

Despite the smell, the guy seems nice enough. Plus, it'd be nice to have someone to talk to for the time being. "Well, I just graduated from Yale, and so far I have no idea what to do with my life. I'm going to the city to see if I can find work. I suppose it's just a big change and I'm not sure if I'm ready, is all."

The man makes a very gruff noise that suits his appearance. "Yale, eh? You be some kinda fancy-shmancy girl. Well, I got one piece of advice for ya missy. Don't do drugs."

With that he sneezes obnoxiously loud and falls asleep merely seconds later. I stare wide-eyed and poke him to make sure he's alive. _Yea, I definitely won't be doing any drugs._

I debate switching seats to avoid any more strange conversation with the homeless man. But then again, I could just fall asleep and scoot _really_ far away from him. I close my eyes and curl into a ball as far away from Hobo as possible. A few minutes later, I hear him rustling around in his seat. I will myself to just keep breathing evenly and keep my eyes closed. All of the sudden I feel a weight on my side and I peek an eye open slightly. From the corner of my eye, I see his head curled comfortably into my hip and a passenger looking at me with pity in her eyes and trying not to laugh. _This is going to be a long ride..._

I'm still awake and staring at Hobo with disgust by the time the train comes to a stop. The jolt doesn't seem to wake him so I take it upon myself to just high-tail it out of there and push him off.

I nearly knock over an old lady with the speed in which I'm running down the walkway. I mutter an apology behind me and hop off the train with a _very_ deep breath. _It smells like urine, but still a lot better than Hobo. I guess I could get used to it._

When I walk out of Grand Central Station I take in all the people, noises, and smells. _Yea this is totally my style._

Before I check into a cheap hotel or go job hunting, I decide to have a little bit of fun and go down Broadway. I'm having a good time just strolling though the city before I stop dead in my tracks in front of a marquee. _But this isn't just _any_ marquee. This marquee has Rachel fucking Berry's name on it. _Literally it says, 'Starring Rachel Berry'.

_Well no shit._ That woman was _born_ to play Fanny Brice. I have a strong urge to just scream out to the public saying, "_Yea that's right, Rachel Berry and I went to high school together and she is on Broadway people. Fucking Broadway._" Or maybe calling her and asking, "_Did you know that you're starring in the musical you've been obsessed with since preschool?_" But I'm fairly certain that she's fully aware of that fact. And I'm also certain that I don't even have her phone number anymore. I got a new phone the first year of college and lost all of my contacts.

For some reason I get really glad about the news of Rachel on Broadway. She got so much shit in high school, this is like some sort of _'fuck you'_ to anyone who shot her down. Including me...

But besides that, I feel like anything is possible. I really want to reconnect with her and all that good stuff. Maybe I'll go to one of her shows and surprise her backstage. scratch that, I'm _definitely_ going to one of her shows.

I haven't even realized that I've been daydreaming and I nearly walk straight into a large metal and glass building. When I look up I notice that it's the New York Times headquarters building. What the heck,_ anything's possible right?_ I walk in and submit one of my photos and articles I keep in my bag for times like these. What have I got to lose?

_But if I do lose something, it's your fault, Berry._

Next stop, somewhere to sleep. I keep walking further and further away from the tourist destinations like Times Square so that the hotel rates get cheaper. _That's how it works right? The lesser quality, the cheaper it is?_

I manage to stumble upon a place called Bowery Grand Hotel. It was cheap enough for a shit room and it was close to Little Italy and Chinatown, which is awesome because, seriously? Who can turn down Italian food?


	2. Chapter 2

AN: Well hello! If anyone recognized me from Open to New Things, then that's great! Hopefully you've noticed that the chapters are going to be much longer in this story than the previous, and that my writing has gotten better. Once again I apologize for discontinuing OTNT, but really, I am quite the perfectionist. I couldn't make something so horrible. I'm just going to let you all know that this is going to be a LONG story. Once I read _I'll Be_ by stix04 I was greatly inspired to write something captivating, funny,__and just flat out good, ya know? If you have never read that story, I feel SORRY for you. It's EASILY the best story on the whole website. I swear. I highly recommend it. Well I think I'm going to shut up with this huge AN and let you enjoy! -V :)

The window in my hotel room is far too large. Who wants a face full of sunshine right when they open their eyes? It's a good thing I'm checking out of here soon. I don't exactly have enough money to, anyway.

Speaking of which, my job hunting experience has been a total failure. Really, it's not that anyone's not hiring, it's more so that they don't have any jobs I _want._ I suppose I shouldn't be this picky when I'm slowly but surely running out of funds, but I'm destined for greater things right?

I roll out of bed and try to busy myself in order to keep my thoughts under control. I'm taking a big stretch when I catch a whiff of my armpits. "God damn," I mutter as I walk over to the small shower and turn it on hot. "_I'm in a New Yooork state of mind..._" I sing while shampooing my hair.

With the hum of the shower and obnoxiously loud singing, I can barely make out my cell phone ringing in the room. I don't even rinse out the shampoo or turn off the shower before I sprint into the room and trip on a box of Chinese takeout. "Shit!" I finally crawl naked to my bed in all of my wet, soapy, bruised glory before I answer with a breathy, "_Hello?"_

"Hey, Quinn. It's Paige Davis. Long time no talk, right?" my college friend Paige says boredly from the other line.

"Y-Yea. How's," I take a deep breath, "it going?"

"Yeesh Quinn, did you just run a marathon? Calm your tits." I smile into the phone. Paige has always been very blunt and it always makes me laugh.

"Yea... long story. I was showering, and then the ringing, and then the Chinese... yea I'm not getting into it. What's up?" I ramble.

"Sounds like a story you'll have to tell me sometime. And not much. Ron and I are just chillin' around the apartment. Just thought I'd call and see how Yale's newest graduate is doing."

"Well just to fill you in, I'm on the floor of a cheap hotel in Little Italy covered in soap and bruises. I'm really doing quite swell." I say, dripping with sarcasm.

"Quinn, how in Mother Nature's shithole world did you manage to end up like that?" she says, still sounding extremely monotone.

"I don't know, really. I at least want to get out of this hotel though. The atmosphere makes me feel poor. Which I kind of am..." I mumble the last sentence while looking around the room disapprovingly.

"Well, why don't you just stay here? Ron and I got this little place in Bushwick that has an extra _pull out couch!_" she sing-songed the last part.

I immediately light up. Living in a place near Manhattan with my friends for cheap? That sounds like a _capital_ idea. "Ya know, that sounds like a great idea. I haven't seen you in a few months since you moved and it'd be great to catch up. I kind of miss Ron, too. Just don't tell him," I chuckle out. "What's the address?" She names off the address and I write it down on the pad of paper the hotel provided. "I'll be there in about an hour or so okay? Traffic seems pretty bad."

"Okay, roomie! Later."

After she hangs up, I do a little squeal and hop around. _Score!_ I start to pick up all of my clothes and stuff them in the small suitcase I brought with me. I walk out the door and it _almost_ closes behind me before I realize that the shower is still running and I'm still naked and covered in dried soap. I stumble back into the room before anyone in the hall can see me. _Fuck, Quinn! Get your shit together!_ "Okay, rinse then clothes... rinse then clothes..." I repeat to myself before walking out the door and check out to hail a taxi.

I honestly couldn't get out of the taxi fast enough. The Indian man, his name I noticed was Jalsura, kept on puffing away on peach flavored tobacco and ranting about some kind of demon attacking the Hindu race. I just nodded and said yes to anything he said. Taxi companies should really have more thorough background checks.

By the time the taxi stopped, I already had my fare ready and was bustling out the door. After a small flight of stairs, I stood in front of apartment number 3 and knocked.

"_Paige! She's here!"_ I could hear Ron calling to Paige.

"_I'm coming, damn it!"_

I chuckle to myself and wait for the door to open. When it does, I'm greeted with a quiet, "Sup." Paige really hasn't changed a bit since I last saw her a few months ago before she moved to New York. She moved here about seven months after she graduated in the class above me with her boyfriend. Ron's a chef and Paige is a vet. She has dirty blonde hair that goes down to her lower back and eyes that are so dark blue they almost look grey. Ron is about the same height as her, (she's very tall) and he's a little bit on the chubby side with black hair and brown eyes.

"Hey, Pay, I missed you." I say after giving her a quick hug. "Hi Ron." He just motions a wave at me distractedly.

"Yea, yea. I missed you too. You can unpack your clothes into the drawers under the TV."

While I unpack, my eyes scatter around the apartment. There doesn't seem to be any walls except for just one that divides the one bedroom from the rest of the property. "Where's the bathroom?"

Ron just pointed towards the kitchen where I could make out a small door up against the wall.

Paige walks into the living space with a glass of water. "Whadaya think, Q?"

"It's nice, thanks for letting me stay here."

She waves her hand in the air. "Oh it's no problem, rea -"

She was cut off by the sound of my phone ringing. "Really, Q? New York State of Mind?" She gets up to put her cup in the sink and chuckles on the way.

"_Yes, _Paige. I thought it was fitting since. And frankly, I _am_ in a New York state of mind. So ha," I call after her. Then I realize my phone is still ringing and I answer it. "Hello?"

"Yes Ms. Fabray? This is Carly with the New York Times."

_Oh my God! I totally forgot I even applied there!_

"Oh, hi! Um, so is this about my application?"

"Yes Ms. Fabray. We read over your article along with the photo attached. We were very impressed with the level of your writing skills and the genuine emotion captured in your photo. We would like to offer you a column in the paper about everyday life situations, like the one you submitted. How does that sound?"

The New York _fucking _Times wants me to have my _own _article? Why do they even need to ask 'how that sounds'? Of course I'll fucking do it! "Yes!" I exclaim. "Oh, uhm. I mean, yes that sounds fantastic." I clear my throat a little at the end.

Carly just laughs. "Okay, Ms. Fabray. You'll start next week. Just walk in and ask the receptionist for me and I'll give you the tour. See you then." When she hangs up, I squeal for the second time that day. _Best. Day. Ever._

"Who was that?" Paige asks.

"_That,_ Paige, was the New York Times. I have a job there now!" I say bouncing up and down.

"No way Fabray! We have to go out and celebrate! How does pizza sound?"

"Ehh. I've had pizza like six times since I've come here. How about a fancy barbecue or something?"

Ron pipes in, "Oh! Paige please? I'm dying to have these ribs at the new place down the street."

"Ok. Let's get out of here. Lead the way Fabray!" Paige says excitedly.

"Seriously, stop rhyming words with my name..." I mutter as we walk out the door.

The three of us walk into the Wildwood Barbeque in awe. The place certainly has some street cerd, it's crawling with people. It's a good thing that we got reservations, otherwise we would've never gotten a booth. When we sit down, the waiter takes our drink orders and we slink back comfortably.

"So, Quinn, tell me more about this new job of yours," says Ron.

I get a shit-eating grin on my face. What can I say? New York's been pretty nice to me so far, minus the crazy hobos and taxi drivers. "Well, on the first day here, I nearly ran onto one of the metal beams of the NY Times building. I decided to just go for it and submit some of my work and I completely forgot I even applied until just a few hours ago. They want me to have my own column! Can you believe that?"

The waiter drops off our champagne and takes our orders. Ron obviously has the ribs, and Paige and I just get some kind of barbecued chicken with salad.

"I'll drink to that! To Quinn and her New York debut!" Paige toasts.

We all take a giant slug of our drink and slam it down on the table, earning some glares from nearby tables.

"Enough about me. What about you guys? How's all the sick animals of New York and the restaurant?"

Ron just shrugs. He's a pretty chill guy, which is fine with me. "Just yesterday I had to put down a baby gerbil. It was pretty sad, I guess," Paige says sadly.

My face falls. "Oh that's just... Rachel!" I drift off in the beginning only because of all places to see a famous vegan, it's a flipping smokehouse.

"No the gerbil's name was Professor Squeaks, but nice guess... I think?" Paige says.

"Not the fucking gerbil! That's Rachel Berry over there! With... Santana? What the..." I trail off before walking over to her table for two. _That seems incredibly strange._

Paige and Ron look at each other with weird faces before continuing their meal disinterestedly.

Once I make my way close to the two nicely dressed women, I pull out an empty chair from a nearby table and plop down at their's, facing the space in between them. "So. Rachel Berry and Santana Lopez on a date in a _smokehouse?_ And I thought I've seen just about everything." I say to the both of them with a smirk.

"Excuse me, who are - oh my god, _Quinn!_ Santana look! It's _Quinn!"_ Rachel, obviously surprised, all but shouts.

"I see her, Rach. Quinn, it's been like, _years._ What the hell!" Santana says very excited.

I stare at them both with the biggest smile on my face. "I know right? I changed phones in college and lost my contacts. Worst thing _ever._ I just moved here last week, and I never expected to see _you two_ out here. What's going on?"

Rachel takes a deep breath. _Oh boy._ "Oh! Yea me and San are _definitely_ not on a date. We are out in this very..._meaty_ establishment to celebrate my rave review for my performance in_ Funny Girl_. I've learned by now to not question Santana's desire for meat."

"Oh yea! I heard about that! I was going to call and congratulate you last week, but... well, you know. I didn't have your number." I say looking down in sadness.

"Hey Quinn?" I look behind me at Paige. "Ron and I are heading out, you coming?"

"Oh. Yea. Just one sec," I switch back to Rachel and Santana. "Can I get your numbers? I won't delete them this time." I ask with a well natured laugh.

At the same time, they both say, "Of course!" and stick out their hands for my phone. I laugh and put in on the middle of the table for them to fight it out. Rachel actually wins just by giving Santana this little pout and triumphantly tapping her digits into my phone. I stare wide eyed at _Santana Lopez_ backing down from a fight with _Rachel Berry_ because of a stupid pout. Santana hands me my phone back and smiles sadly. "I wish wish you didn't have to leave. I'd like to catch up soon, though. And so would this one, _obviously," _she says pointing to Rachel with her thumb. "Call soon okay? I missed my friend," She asks in such a small voice.

I smile fondly at the both of them. "Of _course_ I will. I have tons of question to ask, including what the _hell_ happened here," I assure pointing between the two of them.

Rachel cackles. "Okay Quinn. I'll see you soon right?" She puts her doe-eyes in full Bambi mode and I just about melt.

"Duh, now come here and hug me before I leave." They both get up and I give Santana a long hug and a peck on the cheek.

Rachel just stands there with her arms by her side and a true Rachel Berry smile. "I'm going to hug you now, okay?"

I burst out in laughter, "C'mere..." I give her a long hug and a peck on the cheek like Santana. "Congrats Rachel and I'll see you both soon, okay? Later." I offer a small wave and turn around to walk out the door. Paige and Ron are outside waiting for me shivering. "Sorry that took a while."

"It's fine. You said that was Rachel Berry right? _Fanny Brice _Rachel Berry? How do you know her?" Paige asks with apt interest.

"We went to high school together, along with that girl she was with. Her name's Santana."

Paige shrugs, "That's cool. It's weird that you guys meet again when she's famous and in the _biggest_ city in the world."

I chuckle, "Well, I wouldn't say the _biggest,_ but I know what you mean. I'm super glad I saw them."

"So do you have plans to see them again?"

"Of course! _I can't wait!"_ I squeal for the _third_ time that day. _Best. Day. EVER._

AN2: Alright! Let me know what you thought please! I love feedback. FYI; these updates will be random. I tend to just write when I feel like it. :) TBC


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